This past weekend was a complete overhaul. I cut off all my hair, I got a new laptop, new clothes, new t.v., and have settled in pretty well at my new job and have started to make friends. All of this has been great, but I don’t want to take it all for granted. There was a story on the NYT online about a new Applebee’s that opened up in the Bronx just recently. There were 120 openings, and 6,5000 people applied. If that isn’t an indication of how fucked up the economy is, I don’t know what is. And it’s why anyone who has a job can’t complain ever again.

This year was kind of a bust in general. Other than the health care debate and Obama and the plane in the Hudson, the news was filled primarily with celebrity gossip and talent show results. It was boring. Personally though, this was without a doubt the oddest year of my life. So many unforeseen events unfurled (especially in the summer) and I met many interesting people. Fuck, this decade has been odd. In 2000, I was an awkward dork who knew nothing about the opposite sex or being social. Now I’m a slightly less awkward dork who is also kind of emotionally retarded (as my dad would put it). Two steps forward and one step back, I guess. And damn did I put an emphasis on girls, like there was nothing else in life but to impress and be with girls. I was like that for seven years! And that didn’t amount too much. Lots of broken hearts and crippled friendships. Yeesh. No more of that. I hope.

Oh, I’m beating a dead horse again.

I recently bought a book called “Cassette From My Ex,” which is a compilation of stories about people finding mix tapes from old flames, then reminiscing about the story behind it. It’s what most of my friends would call a “Ben Book”… because I am a miserable fuck, you see. In reality the book is very funny and the music choices funnier. And it actually brings up something that I’ve noticed for years: girls never make mix tapes for guys. In all my mixtaping, I have received about one (possibly two). So I started thinking about the perfect mix tape again, and came up with this collection, which is dedicated to everyone and no one: